Emily Dickinson Lexicon

LUNCH, or LUNCH'EON, n. [W. llwnc, a gulp, a swallow, the gullet; Arm. louncqa, longein, to swallow greedily.]

Literally, a swallow; but in usage, a portion of food taken at any time, except at a regular meal. It is not unusual to take a luncheon before dinner. The passengers in the line-ships regularly have their lunch. I sliced the luncheon from the barley loaf. – Gay.

LUNE, n. [L. luna, the moon.]

1. Any thing in the shape of a half moon. [Little used.] Watts.
2. A fit of lunacy or madness, or a freak. [Not used.] Shak.
3. A leash; as, the lune of a hawk.

LU-NET', or LU-NETTE', n. [Fr. lunette, from lune, the moon.]

1. In fortification, an enveloped counterguard, or elevation of earth made beyond the second ditch, opposite to the places of arms; or a covered place before the courtine, consisting of two faces that form an angle inward. It is commonly raised in ditches full of water, to serve instead of fausse brays, to dispute the enemy's passage of the ditch. – Encyc. Trevoux.
2. In the manege, a half horse-shoe, which wants the spunge, or that part of the branch which runs toward the quarters of the foot. – Encyc.
3. A piece of felt to cover the eye of a vicious horse. – Encyc.

LU'NET, n.

A little moon. – Bp. Hall.

LUNG, n. [Sax. lungen; D. long; G. and Dan. lunge; Sw. lunga.]

1. The lungs are the organs of respiration in man and many other animals. There are two of these organs, each of which occupies its cavity in the thorax. They alternately inhale and expel the air, by means of which the necessary function of respiration is carried on. Each lung fills completely the cavity in which it is placed. – Wistar.
2. Formerly, a person having a strong voice, and a sort of servant. – B. Jonson.

LUNGE, a. [See Allonge.]

A sudden push or thrust.

LUNG'ED, a.

Having lungs, or the nature or resemblance of lungs; drawing in and expelling air. – Dryden.

LUNG'-GROWN, a.

Having lungs that adhere to the pleura. – Harvey.

LUNG'IS, n. [Fr. longis, from long.]

A lingerer; a dull, drowsy fellow.

LUNG'LESS, a.

Without lungs.

LUNG'WORT, n.

A plant of the genus Pulmonaria.

LU'NI-FORM, a. [L. luna, the moon, and form.]

Resembling the moon.

LU-NI-SO'LAR, a. [L. luna, moon, and solaris, sol, sun.]

Compounded of the revolutions of the sun and moon. – Johnson. The lunisolar year consists of 532 common years; found by multiplying the cycle of the sun by that of the moon. – Encyc.

LU'NIS-TICE, n. [L. luna, the moon, and sto, steti, or sisto, to stand.]

The farthest point of the moon's northing and southing, in its monthly revolution. – Encyc.

LUNT, n. [D. lont, Dan. lunte, a match.]

The match-cord used for firing cannon. – Johnson.

LU'NU-LAR, a. [from L. luna, the moon.]

In botany, like the new moon; shaped like s small crescent.

LU'NU-LATE, a. [from L. luna, the moon.]

In botany, resembling a small crescent.

LU'PER-CAL, a.

Pertaining to the Lupercalia, or feasts the Romans in honor of Pan; as a noun, the feast itself.

LU'PINE, n. [Fr. lupin; L. lupinus.]

A kind of pulse. The genus Lupinus contains several species, mostly annual plants bearing digitate leaves, and papilionaceous flowers. The seeds of the white lupine have a leguminous taste, accompanied with a disagreeable bitterness, and are said to be anthelmintic. – Encyc.

LU'PIN-ITE, n.

A bitter substance extracted from the leaves of the white lupin.

LU'PU-LIN, n. [L. lupulus, hops.]

The fine yellow powder of hops. – A. W. Ives.

LURCH, n. [W. llerc, a frisk, or frisking about, a loitering or lurking; llercian, to loiter about, to lurk. This is the same word radically as lurk. The primary sense is to run, start, leap, or frisk about, as a man or beast that flies from one tree or other object to another to conceal himself. Hence we see the peculiar applicability of this word in seamen's language.]

In seaman's language, a sudden roll of a ship. A lee-lurch is a sudden roll to the leeward, as when a heavy sea strikes the ship on the weather side. – Cyc. To leave in the lurch, to leave in a difficult situation, or in embarrassment; to leave in a forlorn state or without help. – Denham.

LURCH, v.i.

1. To roll or pass suddenly to one side, as a ship in a heavy sea.
2. To withdraw to one aide, or to a private place; to lie in ambush or in secret; to lie close. [For this, lurk is now used.] – L'Estrange.
3. To shift; to Play tricks. I am fain to shuffle, to hedge and to lurch. – Shak.

LURCH, v.t. [L. lurco, a glutton.]

To swallow or eat greedily; to devour. [Not used.] Bacon.

LURCH, v.t.

1. To defeat; to disappoint, that is, to evade; as, to lurch the expectation. [Little used.] – South.
2. To steal; to filch; to pilfer. [Little used.] – Johnson.